Tragedy struck on Sunday afternoon along the Lokoja-Obajana road in Kogi State when a horrific head-on collision between a truck and a commercial bus claimed the lives of 19 passengers and left eight others injured.
The accident, described by authorities as “fatal and heartbreaking,” occurred around 4pm near Gadabiu community in Lokoja Local Government Area.
The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, disclosed that among the deceased were five children who were burned beyond recognition in the ensuing fire.
Mr Kumar Tsukwam, the Kogi State Sector Commander of the FRSC explained that the accident involved a Toyota Hummer Bus traveling from the southern part of the country toward Abuja and an oncoming articulated truck.
The tragedy reportedly occurred when the bus driver attempted to overtake another truck at high speed but collided head-on with a second truck approaching from the opposite direction.
“The crash was caused by excessive speeding and wrongful overtaking by the driver of the commercial bus. Unfortunately, this reckless act cost 19 people their lives on the spot, many of whom were trapped and burned in the inferno that followed the impact,” Tsukwam said.
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He added that the eight surviving passengers sustained varying degrees of injuries, including cuts, dislocations, fractures, and burns.
They were rescued by the FRSC response team, assisted by the police, and were immediately transported to Fisayo Hospital in Obajana for emergency medical care.
The state commander used the opportunity to issue a stark warning to motorists, reminding them that highways are not racetracks.
He urged drivers to adhere strictly to traffic regulations, stressing that dangerous practices like speeding and overtaking in unsafe conditions continue to result in loss of lives.
“This is a painful reminder of the dangers on our roads when caution is ignored. We urge all road users to drive responsibly to help reduce the carnage on our highways,” Tsukwam added.
Authorities are still working to identify the victims, and efforts are being made to contact the families of the deceased.
NAN
